7 fresh cases, Punjab tally 53

2 contacts of former hazoori ragi Nirmal Singh among three 3 found positive in Amritsar; 2 Mohali patients had attended jamaat event in Delhi, woman infected in Ludhiana

AMRITSAR/SAS NAGAR/BATHINDA:

Seven fresh Covid-19 cases — three from Amritsar, two from Mohali, one from Ludhiana and Rupnagar each — were recorded in Punjab on Friday, taking the tally to 53.

Among the three tested positive for the virus in Amritsar are two close contacts of former hazoori ragi of the Golden Temple, Nirmal Singh Khalsa, who was found infected with the virus and died on Thursday. The throat swab samples were tested at Amritsar. The patients are Nirmal Singh’s US-returned aunt, one ragi who accompanied him to Chandigarh for a religious congregation and a 67-year-old male.

3 CHHATTISGARH RESIDENTS TEST POSITIVE IN MANSA

Three members of Tablighi Jamaat, including two women, who were staying at a mosque in Budhlada of Mansa district have tested positive for coronavirus. They are residents of Chhattisgarh.

AMRITSAR/MOHALI/LUDHIANA/ RUPNAGAR: Seven fresh Covid-19 cases — three from Amritsar, two from Mohali, one from Ludhiana and Rupnagar each — were recorded in Punjab on Friday, taking the tally to 53.

Among the three tested positive for the virus in Amritsar are two close contacts of former hazoori ragi of the Golden Temple, Nirmal Singh Khalsa, who was found infected with the virus and died on Thursday. The throat swab samples were tested at the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) of Government Medical College, Amritsar. The patients are Nirmal Singh’s US-returned aunt, one ragi who accompanied him to Chandigarh for a religious congregation and a 67-year-old male.

Mohali cases comprises two Tablighi Jamaat attendees, a 42-year-old of Mauli Baidwan in Sector 80 and 62-year-old of Sector 68. In Ludhiana, a 69-year-old woman from Shimlapuri was found carrying the virus and she has no travel history.

A 55-year-old man from Chatamli village in Rupnagar was declared positive for the virus, making him the first patient in the district.

Rupnagar deputy commssioner Sonali Garg said the patient was admitted to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, Chandigarh, on March 27 and declared positive on Friday. He is a patient of diabetes and hypertension, she said.

She said the process to trace his contacts has started and the village is being sanitised. Rupnagar civil surgeon Dr HN Sharma said the family members of the patient will be home quarantined.

Meanwhile, the health department has isolated Nirmal Singh’s 11 close contacts at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (GNDH)— including his wife, two daughters, son, driver, two sewadars, uncle and aunt.

“A health department team visited Singh’s house on March 3 after we got the information that uncle and aunt were visiting him. They were found asymptomatic. When the home quarantine period of the guests was over on March 17, they were found asymptomatic again. On Friday, however, his aunt was tested positive of coronavirus,” Amritsar civil surgeon Dr Prabhdeep

Kaur Johal said on Friday.

5 family members of ragi have been tested negative of the disease while reports of other members are awaited, she further said.

A 67 year old man of Krishna Nagar, Amritsar, who was tested ‘positive’ for coronavirus on Friday, could be the first case of community spread in Amritsar, Dr Johal said.

“The man complained of chest infection and visited GNDH for treatment on Wednesday and was declared positive for the virus on Friday. He is a shopkeeper and has no recent foreign travel history. He has not even travelled outside Amritsar for long. We have no idea from where did he contact the virus.

This is a community spread case,” she said.

Dr Johal said his house has been sealed and sanitised. “Man’s wife, two sons, daughterin-law and a 8-month-old granddaughter have been isolated at GNDH and their throat swab samples sent for testing,” she said.